Public Relations | Press Releases

Release date: 03-08-2012

KVCC Electronic Health Record training expands

Fairfield, ME – Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) is expanding its Electronic Health Record (EHR) Training Program beyond Maine this spring and offering rolling enrollments to increase access opportunities.

The non-credit EHR program prepares qualified students to take an active role in advancing the widespread adoption and meaningful use of Health Information Technology in healthcare settings.

The training is currently offered at no cost to students due to grant funding, and the majority of course work is delivered online.

Launched two years ago, the program has been very successful in Maine. Now it is being expanded to New Hampshire and Vermont as well. In addition, rolling enrollment will be offered from April to October 2012.

“Access to the program is enhanced by the flexibility of on-going enrollment and allows increased access for students interested in the opportunity to grow in the field of EHR specialists in the healthcare environment,” said Martha Vrana-Bossart, Director of the program.

KVCC offers two certificate options in its EHR program. Both are online hybrid programs with three live classes and a time commitment of approximately 5-15 hours per week. The programs are six months in length.

The EHR Consultant track is designed for those with a healthcare background. At minimum, the admission requirements are an Associates Degree with at least three years of healthcare experience; or approval by the program coordinator.

The EHR Engineer track is designed for those with a Computer Science or Information Systems background. At minimum, the admission requirements are an Associates Degree in Computer Science or Computer Information Systems with at least three years of Information Systems experience; or approval by the program coordinator.

Kennebec Valley Community College was selected in 2010 to participate in a nationwide effort to educate health care professionals in the latest electronic medical record-keeping systems as a way of improving care and lowering costs.

The College became part of a 23-member, 12-state consortium led by Tidewater Community College in Virginia - one of five such consortiums nationwide seeking to educate 7,500 information technology professionals.

Standardization and modernization of health records has long been sought as a way of improving patient care and lowering costs. Maine has joined in this effort but faces challenges including hospitals that use incompatible records-keeping software and private practices limited by outdated technology or even paper records.

Efforts to improve, implement and unify electronic health records across the nation received federal funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, as part of activities to increase access to healthcare, protect those in greatest need, expand educational opportunities and modernize the nation’s infrastructure.